Courtesy ISPR
Chief of Army Staff assures workshop participants Balochistan is in sharp focus of the national leadership
Peace and prosperity in Balochistan province is the bedrock of overall progress in Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Tuesday.
Addressing the 7th National Workshop Balochistan at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, he said the time had come to reap the dividends of hard-earned peace in the restive province, adding that socioeconomic development should be expedited through a people-centric approach that would yield enduring stability.
According to a statement issued by the media wing of the armed forces, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army chief stressed that security forces remained steadfast and determined to defeat enemies of peace and prosperity of Balochistan and Pakistan.
Highlighting internal and external challenges, Gen. Bajwa said that the full spectrum threat demands a comprehensive national response. Balochistan is in sharp focus of the national leadership, he stressed, adding that the Army was fully engaged in enabling a national and provincial response in synergy with other institutions of state.
“We are a resilient nation that has endured the tests of time on its path to achieving peace and stability,” he was quoted as saying by the ISPR statement.
The Army chief’s statement came just a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Gwadar and announced that the incumbent government was considering initiating dialogue with “disgruntled” elements in Balochistan to alleviate their concerns. He claimed that previous governments had ignored the development of the province, and the incumbent regime’s plans would overcome the sentiment of deprivation that was prevalent in Balochistan.
The workshop was attended by a large number of parliamentarians, bureaucrats, members of civil society, youth, academia, and media representatives. According to the ISPR, it was aimed at enabling the future leadership of Balochistan’s understanding of vital national and provincial issues, and mounting a cohesive response to all concerns.